Between the Lines of Time

Chapter 15

Stephen had everything prepared for their date. He had led Maddie outside to a private spot in the garden where he had the servants set up a tea table with dinner and deserts ready for them to eat. He had lanterns hung around the area so with the sunset they would still have plenty of light to see each other. Stephen hoped this would be a turning point for them.

Upon seeing the preparations, Maddie was left speechless. She did not think he would go through any effort let alone this. It must be stockholm syndrome, she thought to herself as she was not so pleased that this made her feel any type of way other than contempt.

Stephen sensed some appreciation, taking this and running with it, he pulled out Maddie's chair and helped her to her seat. He then took the seat across from her. Maddie stayed silent just taking everything in.

"Is everythin' to yer likin'?" Stephen asked pulling her from her thoughts.

" I-, um-, yes. Thank you" Maddie stammered out, still unsure of what to think.

"Good." Stephen started, "I wanted to do something just fer us." stephen said with a wolfish grin, grabbing a plate to start passing out the dinner. He had plated Maddie's dinner first, as this is what he had learned through his practice of becoming a gentleman for his family.

"Tell me more about ye" Stephen said after finishing plating his own dinner.

"What do you mean?" Maddie asked a tad dumbfounded by his request.

"Tell me about ye, yer childhood, what ye like and don't, just ye." Stephen stated as if it were obvious. Sensing Maddies hesitation still, he added, "I am yer husband after all. I want to know everythin' 'bout me wife."

"Um there isn't much to tell. I grew up fine, and I guess I am just not good at this question." Maddie said, remembering how much she hated this question during ice breakers in her sorority.

"Well why don't I ask ye questions of what I want to know and ye answer me?" stephen suggested.

"yeah , I guess that could work." Maddie said not really sure what to expect.

"Where did ye grow up?" stephen asked first, thinking it was a basic first question.

"Um, right here in North Carolina. Charlotte to be exact." Maddie stated

"Did ye like it here?" stephen asked, unsure of how growing up in the colonies was like.

"Yeah it was great!" she exclaimed, thinking of her childhood, "my friends and I would go to the beach almot every weekend, we would ride our bi- i mean horses, to the beach from our houses and spend the whole day there." she finished, catching her almost slip of the 21st century activity.

"That sounds fun" Stephen concluded. "Tell me about them, yer friends, where are they now?"

"I- um, I don't really want to talk about that" maddie said with a sudden solom look on her face

Not wanting to push this just yet, stephen took a mental note to ask about this at a later date. "Thats fine darlin', perhaps ye can tell me 'bout yer parents then?"

"Ye met them." maddie stated dryly unsure of why he is asking all about her childhood.

"Yes. but I also know they aren't yer real parents. Ye said so yerself when you came to me in the jail." stephen said matter of factly.

"I, um, well I don't really remember them." Maddie said truthfully, "they died in a car accident when I was about 3 years old" she said out loud

"I'm sorry sweetheart." stephen said, "ye were an orphan like me, it is a good thing Elias has the both of us now." he concluded.